Analysis of Color Changes in Paintings by Era due to Changes in Pigments

The colors of paintings from Goryeo Buddhist paintings to the mid-Joseon Dynasty maintained the same tone, but changes can be seen from the late Joseon Dynasty, which was also the time when the use of imported color pigments began. The change in color began with the discovery of synthetic inorganic and organic pigments in the West in the 19th century. CIELAB LSUP*/SUP, CSUP*/SUPab, and hab were analyzed by measuring digital data from Goryeo Buddhist paintings and mid-Joseon Dynasty court paintings that used the same traditional pigments, and court paintings from the late Joseon Dynasty that used imported red, green, and blue pigments. After the transformation of the pigments, the red color and green color changed to clean and bright, blue color to deep and strong, and the color angle of blue also changed. Although it is an analysis of a digitized work, it is not much different from the actual pigment measurements, so it is enough to see changes in color. The colors of traditional pigments are medium lightness and medium chroma, and the colors of synthetic inorganic and organic pigments are low/medium lightness and high chroma. Pigment development has shifted toward increasing chroma. The red, green, and blue colors of 19th century court decorative paintings and record paintings are more brighter and more colorful than those of paintings before the 19th century.